Be Our Guest-Revised and Updated Edition: Perfecting the Art of Customer Service (A Disney Institute Book) Hardcover – Illustrated, November 8, 2011

Disney create a magical experience whilst you are in the resorts and theme parks. But of course it doesn't happen by magic. They don't have a secret pixie dust mine run by dwarves. They use the combination of cast, setting and process to superb effect.They do have an excellent cast- who are very well trained and drilled- and who have very clear priorities set for their work. This clarity allows them to do their work well- and creates a safe framework within which they can improvise freely and safely- creating magical moments and memories for guests. Disney Cast are simultaneously very disciplined, and yet very free and trusted. This is a good combination to achieve in any industry yet rarely done as well as by Disney and its cast. In particular the need for control and direction felt in many organisations actually leads them down the path to failure. The chains of unjustified assurance (See for example The Audit Society: Rituals of Verification demanded in many companies and government departments are actually reducing their degrees of control, and their degrees of effectiveness. The staff end up unable to give their best and the managers fruitlessly keep wondering how to bring out the best in their staff...without giving up control.Disney uses a simple approach based on overarching priorities and then local adaptations for particular settings. Their overarching priorities are very clear- safety, courtesy, show, efficiency, and in that order.Safety is not easy to assure at Disney- huge numbers of guests, and so eventually an incident will occur, even if the risk is one in a million or less- they have that many visitors so that a one in a million event will happen somewhere. Staff are trained to mitigate this risk.Courtesy is their next step. Everyone is a very individual person- and Disney try to match their staff with the people they are serving. They also study culture across the world- and make their gestures clear but neutral and inoffensive. For example a pointing finger may be polite or impolite depending on context- Disney have worked out a strategy to avoid any appearance of impoliteness.Show is harder to define- but it basically means that the guest is always focused on enjoying the park, and not on observing its workings. The amount of design work done to ensure seamless transitions between the areas of the parks is huge. Also the work that has gone into avoiding incongruous back scenes, and abrupt transitions is noteworthy. The audience's attention is never distracted unnecessarily.Efficiency is process management by Disney team mange the flow of people through their locations. The detail with which Disney tracks this is awesome- they know how many people to expect in each bit of their park, and what they will want and need- and plan ahead to meet it. The cast then make it look easy, but there's a detailed process behind it.This book describes well how Disney achieves its quality of service and if you want a bit of that magic to rub off onto you read this book, and learn. It actually makes me appreciate what Disney do more, and also realise that what they do could be replicated and adapted to many other contexts.It's all just hidden within cast, setting and process.

This book was great for those who not only love Disney, but can appreciate the way they treat their customers. Very good read and worth our time.

Throughout Theodore Kinni’s and Tom Staggs, “Be Our Guest,” he speaks about the art of Disney and how they (as a whole) deliver excellent customer service, how they succeed in making such a huge profit, and how they have become one of the most well-known businesses in the world. The whole book focuses on customer-centricity and how Disney uses “magic” to keep their customers happy and how that keeps them coming back or returning to Disney and what they offer. Focusing on making the customer happy is Disney’s way of creating a successful and profitable company. Throughout this review, I will discuss questions that relate to the summary aspects of the book but will dive deeper into an analytical type review by discussing my evaluations/interpretations of arguments and ideas.As stated above, the book itself is about how focusing on customer-centricity is one of the best ways that you can have a successful business. Therefore, the authors’ main arguments would include using “magic” (which is further explained in the text) to be successful in business, and how these magical moments create memories that keep their customers coming back. For example, the text states: “Each is a magic moment in which the bond between customer and company is forged and strengthened. And each contributes another small boost to Walt Disney World’s return customer rate of around 70 percent” (Kinni 5). In addition, the text also states: “This kind of magic has a quality that leads to superior organizational performance. Each magical moment builds guest satisfaction and increases brand loyalty—and these are fundamental sources of organizational growth and success” (Kinni 6).As far as the authors main audience goes, it is safe to say that yes, the book may be for people who are interested in expanding their horizons and finding ways to help their own business grow, but the author also touches upon the idea that this book answers the question that so many of Disney’s customers want to know which is: “How does Disney do it” (Staggs X). With that being said, this book is also reaching the audience of people who want to know how Disney creates the magic that is felt when you walk into their amusement parks. For example, the text states: “…my first answer is always, ‘it’s magic.’ This gets mixed reactions. Some accept this answer with a smile and give me a look that says, ‘I knew you were going to say that.’ Others, however, press harder for concrete answers, as they genuinely want to know the secrets to how we create that magic. Some of them have businesses of their own, with a workforce to motivate, customers they need to please, and products they want to be valuable and relevant” (Kinni X). From the text, it is clear that the authors are trying to reach the audiences of people who may be interested in actually learning the behind-the-scenes aspect of Disney.In addition to the author's main audience, he also has main objectives that he tries to reach throughout the book. The biggest main objective that they set forth is the fact that they want their readers to see the importance of Disney’s idea of using “magic” to ensure that customers will come back. The text states: “We start with a great story and design ideas to create an experience. We implement training and processes like any well-run company to make sure that we operate safely and efficiently. And we rely on the intuitive hospitality and friendliness of our outstanding cast to make each guest feel like we have designed the place just for them….It is our dream and our mission to keep that magic alive, to exceed those expectations, and to welcome people around the world to be our guests for years to come” (Staggs XI). With this use of magic, Disney is able to give its customers an experience that no other amusement park, cruise line, or resort can. They have a huge brand awareness that gives them an upper hand compared to their competitors. People all around the world know about Disney and it provides experiences that are cherished by customers for a lifetime.When evaluating the authors’ support of their arguments, I would say that they are valid. In regard to their argument that “magic” is their key to success, they provide many additional/supplemental ideas that support their ideas. For example, Disney uses practical magic which they explain is how they bring magical elements to their guests. Practical magic is also just another name for quality service, which we know is a great marketing tactic for businesses to evoke. The text states: “…we should be clear about what we mean by Quality Service. Happily, it is a jargon-free, easy-to-understand definition: Quality Service means exceeding your guests’ expectations by paying attention to every detail of the delivery of your products and services” (Kinni 13). I understand this argument to be valid because, from experience, going into a store or business, as a customer, you look at everything. You observe aspects of how the place looks, how much things cost, the service, etc.…. In addition, from my experiences with Disney, I have found that their tiny details are what make the trip most magical. For example, the hidden mickey’s that can be found around the parks and hotels are a way that Disney uses detail to ensure quality service or “magic” and to give guests something exciting that is just one of the many reasons that keep them coming back.When evaluating the authors’ interpretations and success with objectives in writing this book, I would say that they definitely fulfilled what they were trying to get across. With their biggest objective being that they want their readers to see the importance of Disney’s idea of using “magic” to ensure that all customers will come back, the authors provide multiple examples as to how this holds true. The biggest example of this objective is the fact that they express throughout the book that they want to make the experience magical for all guests. That includes guests of all ages, cultures, etc.…. Disney appeals to all guests: Guests with disabilities, small children, or international guests are just a few examples. The authors’ objective of this is touched upon well throughout the text. For example, the text states: “…incorporate the individual needs and desires of guests in service delivery. It is also another way in which we achieve the second quality standard of courtesy” (Kinni 148). Service attention is just one of the many ways that Disney provides a magical experience for all guests. Their objective is to give all guests the chance to experience something unforgettable. I also know that this objective is reached in Disney outside of this text because I have seen Disney employees go out of their way to ensure that all of their guests are treated equally. For example, an article from Daily Mail in 2016 talks about how a deaf little girl met Tinker Bell in Disney World and was amazed when Tinker Bell spoke back to her in sign language. The article states: “In her own world of silence, sign language is the only way she can communicate with everyone else around her, so imagine Shaylee's surprise when one of Disney's most famous cartoon characters began chatting with her in sign language” (Gordon). Overall, it is clear that Disney’s objective of using service attention actually does work in their actual business and it does leave their guests with a magical experience that they will be talking about for years to come.Overall, after reading this text and learning about Disney’s marketing strategies, I can conclude that the authors’ of “Be Our Guest,” accurately discussed their objectives and arguments and they also provided many examples as to how these arguments and objectives are applicable. I also did my own research as well as used my own experience to think about how these arguments and objectives are actually used by Disney outside of the text, as well as how customers like myself react to their idea of portraying “magic”. I found that Disney is pretty much one of the company’s that you can talk to anyone about. I would be very surprised to find someone that has never had any experience or knowledge of Disney as a whole. Therefore, I believe that the authors’ ideas are very accurately written. I also highly suggest this book to people who are trying to expand their businesses or make their business more heartfelt or customer-centric, or to people who genuinely want to know what is behind the magic of Disney.

The success of the Disney organization is an unassailable fact. As experts at establishing a customer experience that is unparalleled, the decision to publish their methods and the rationale behind those methods is a remarkable gift to anyone who is involved in management, or aspires to be an exceptional manager. From hiring, to management, to customer interaction, this book provides tremendous insight into a success story that is worth emulating in any industry. An excellent read. Far and away one of the most valuable business books I've come across.

Great information and insights into customer services from the experts. Anyone whose been to Disney World knows thing run at a very efficient level and these are the reasons why. This book should be essential for anyone in a customer service industry or role.